Art of incrusting galvanoplasty and the object produced thereby



March 13, 192s. 1,662,430

F. MAAS ART OF INCRUSTING GALVANOPLASTY AN?) THE OBJECT PRODUCED THEREBY Filed Auez- 26. 1925 efallfzin C an) O /0 f Hederick Maas ATTORNEY Patented Mar. '13, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK MAAS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO NATURAL FLOWER METALIZING 00., INCL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ART OF INCRUS'IING GALVANOPLASTY AND THE OBJECT PRODUCED THEREBY.

Application filed August 26, 1925. Serial No. 52,540.

This invention relates to incrusting gal-- vanoplasty or the process of preserving and coating objects with a metallic deposit. This invention relates further to a new article of manufacture produced by said process which includes a natural or artificial object coated evenly throughout with a layer of metal.

While previous attempts at incrusting galvanoplasty have been expensive, uncertam. of results and laborious, I have found that by first stiffening the object to be metallized, and then coating said object with the proper base, I am enabled to readily metallize any fragile objects such as flowers, leaves and buds, and other objects of any description, whereafter the usual processes of electroplating are effective to deposit an even coat of metal thereon.

The various objects of this invention will best be understood from the description which follows and from the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a metal incrusted leaf and flower bud adapted to be used for ornamental purposes, v

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same showing the metallic layenthereon, but not showing the stiffening coat, the base, or the metallizing coat for the reason that said base and coats are of insufficient thickness to be clearly shown therein, and

Fig. 3 is a cross section of my invention showing the various layers and coats thereon, the thickness of said layers and coats being greatly exaggerated for clearness.

In carrying out my improved process, I first coat the object to be plated, such as the leaf 10 or the flower 11, with a lacquer as 12 designed to stiffen and preserve the object and to exclude air therefrom. For this purpose I have found shellac to be best suited. After the article 10 has been dipped in shellac and dried, a second coat 13 of peculiar composition is applied thereto, which coat is designed to form the base for the metallizing coat 14, which in turn acts as a conductor in the electrolytic bath wherein the metal incrustation 15 is deposited.

Said base 13 is referably made of rubber,-carbon bisulphlde, asphaltum, beeswax, mutton tallow, spirits of turpentine and yellow or red phosphorus in substantially the and a quarter pound of yellow or red phosphorus. This formula is for'the base 13 with which the object is completely coated by dipping, brushing or otherwise, and has the property of causing the conducting coat 14 soon to be described, to adhere firmly thereto. Said conducting coat 14 is made by adding one ounce of silver nitrate to one gallon of distilled water, though it will be understood that throughout this specification, gold chloride may be substituted for the silver nitrate if desired, since both of these salts act in exactly the same manner. The object 10 which has been previously coated and prepared as above described, is then dipped into the conducting solution 14 and dried, whereby all the surfaces of the object become conductive to the electrical current and suitable for electroplatin x The final step in the process is plating the object first prepared as above described electrolytically with a layer of copper as 15 or with any other metal as is well known in the art. I have found that the surfaces produced by my improved process are exact reproductions of the surfaces of the original unplated object, all of the details being clearly reproduced and every part of the object being evenly coated with a metallic deposit of any required thickness, which is firmly incorporated with the object and cannot readil be peeled or worn off.

It will e seen that by coating the entire object, air is excluded therefrom, and the object is therefore preserved indefinitely. It will further be seen that my improved process is certain, cheap and eflicient and well adapted for the commercial production of metal covered objects on a large scale. Said objects have many uses, as for instance, in-the ornamentation of shoes, hats and other wearing apparel, and for the decoration or ornamentation of furniture, lamps, picture frames, mirrors, walls and buildings, since said objects have substantial wearing properties and are capable of enduring indefinitely.

I do not intend to limit myself to the specific objects illustrated herein, nor to the exact process or formulm, which I have described above and which I intend to be merely illustrative of my invention, since it will be understood that various changes therein may be made which fall within the range of equivalents afforded by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The art of galvanoplasty comprising first coating an object with stiffening material, then coating said object with a base containing phosphorus, rubber, asphaltum, carbon bisulphide and binding material, coating with silver nitrate on said base whereby said base reacts with the silver nitrate to render the surface conductive, and then electroplating said object.

2. The art of incrusting galvanoplasty comprising coating an object with shellac, then coating the shellacked object with a base adapted to retain a coat of silver nitrate thereon and containing phosphorus, rubber and binding material, dipping the object so coated into a solution of silver nitrate, allowing the silver nitrate to dry, and plating the object.

3. In the art of incrusting galvanoplasty, coating an object with a base for a conducting coat, said base containing para rubber dissolved in carbon bisulphide, powdered asphaltum, beeswax, mutton tallow, turpentine and phos horns, then dipping the object so coate into a solution of silver nitrate, whereby the base and the silver nitrate react to form a conducting coat, and plating the object.

4:. As a new article of manufacture, a metallic article simulating a naturally grown object comprising an interior natural fragile object, a stiffening layer of shellac coating and preserving said object, a base for a second layer on said shellac including phosphorus, rubber, carbon bisulphide, asphaltum and binding material, a second layer forming a conducting surface with said base, and an incrusting layer of metal on said last mention'ed layer completely covering and reproducing the contours of the surfaces of said object.

5. As a new article of manufacture, the combination with a fragile natural object, of a stiffening layer on said object, a layer of a mixture of rubber, bisulphide of carbon, asphaltum, beeswax, mutton tallow, turpentine, and phosphorus on said stiffening layer, a layer of a silver product, and a layer of metal completely enclosing the aforesaid layers and said object and reproducing the contours of the surfaces thereof.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a perishable object, a layer of shellac directly covering thesurfaces of said object, a layer of a mixture of rubber, bisulphide of carbon, asphaltum, waxy material, turpentine and phosphorus on the shellac layer, a layer of a silver product on the layer of said mixture, and a layer of metal on said silver product layer, said last mentioned layer conforming to the contours of the surfaces of said object.

FREDERICK MAAS. 

